It is true. I have made a careful two month study of them in their native habitat.

As I have been going to the gym on a fairly regular basis, I have been able to observe the differences between Americans (okay, well me, which is admittedly not a very large sample group) and Frenchwomen. Now granted, I don't have much experience with the typical American gym, but being from a military school along with the combined motivations of "let this be over with as soon as possible" and "I am not paying 49 euros a month to diddle on the step machine for five minutes" makes me want to be as efficient as possible. Now, I realize that some women and men go to the gym for the express reason of trying to pick up a member of the opposite sex, and therefore spend as much time as possible flirting among the weight machines. That is fine, but if you are going to just sit there, would you mind not sitting on the machine I would like to use and going down to the snack bar?

I have not seen one other women and thought to myself "Now she is getting a good workout" as I huff and puff at RPE 9 with rivers of sweat pouring down my face. They bring towels which they use to place between them and the machines (why, you aren't sweating?) and to dab at themselves carefully after each workout, but really it isn't necessary.

On the contrary, I have quickly realized that I can no longer wear pink or red shirts to work. The reason? Because here is what I look like in the afternoons.

Yep, that's right. Pink from hair line to navel. It is mostly due to my coloring, but if I spent my 45 minutes in Advanced Flirting instead of Body Step, I wouldn't be pink for the rest of the afternoon.

Americans also seem to take their workouts much more seriously- following plans, writing down what they did each day, wearing heart rate monitors, etc. I have seen no else at the gym do this.

Finally, one last thing. After the gym sessions, French women shower but don't usually wash their hair. This kinda grossed me out until I realized, they don't need to, they don't sweat. Whereas my hair has turned brunette and I desperately need to wash it. Even when not going to the gym, frenchwomen don't seem to wash their hair every day. If I don't wash my hair every day, one can definetely tell.

Once I didn't have enough time to workout, so I went, ate lunch (to take advantage of their microwave), and took a shower. They must have been wondering, What the heck? These Americans are weird.

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At my gym, the women show up for the lunchtime class in all these fancy gym clothes, with their faces all made-up and hair perfectly done. I, on the other hand, am wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that I got for free in college for signing up for a credit card. My hair is in a pony tail and I wear no make-up (why would I, I'm just going to shower afterwards anyways).

After class, many of them just head up to the locker room and change right back into their work clothes. I used to think it was strange, until I realized the same thing as you - that they weren't all sweaty like I was. They sit there and do these dainty kicks and wimpy arm lifts, while I'm getting all into it. But then again, I'm the one with a few extra pounds to lose and not them, so who am I to judge!!

Didn't you notice frenchwomen even wear make ups while working out ? I can imagine them sweating with make ups on :) ! I agree, they don't wash their hair everyday and not by themselves! They prefer to go to Salon and pay more euros just for a simple washing, drying and brushing ! Reason.... Washing it everyday strips out the natural oils!